The present invention relates to water skis and especially to a water ski braking member for braking the ski in the water responsive to a skier shifting his weight on the ski.
Water skiing is a popular sport in which a skier is towed behind a motor boat with his feet positioned on one or two skis. A tow rope connected to the boat has a handle portion on the back thereof which is held by the water skier so that he can be pulled through the water on the skis. Water skis come in different types including conventional twin skis in which the skier has one foot on each of a pair of skis. Each ski typically has a front or tip portion, a back or tail portion, and a ski binding or boot attached to the top of each ski. The bottom of each water ski frequently has a vertically extending fin to provide better control during the skiing. The boot may have a toe and a heel. In addition to twin skis, skis are also made as a mono-ski in which the skier rides on one ski and has a front binding and a back binding for putting each of the feet on the ski. A figure ski may have two bindings while a jump ski may be shaped differently for riding the ski over a jump.
Manufacturers of quality water ski equipment have attempted over the years to meet the high performance needs of competition skiers, professionals and advanced amateurs in the sport of slalom water skiing. This includes the use of exotic materials and advanced aerodynamic features incorporated into the design of the slalom ski which have helped meet the ever increasing demand for higher performance. These efforts have led to various composite materials, concave and complex shaped ski bottoms, specially designed fins and foils, and sophisticated ankle and foot supporting boots. However, the skier has a limitation of how fast he can accelerate across the wake behind the boat toward the next buoy and how quickly he can decelerate in a controlled manner to set up for the turn.
The present invention is directed to give a skier greater decelerating capability when setting up for a turn at a buoy so that the skier can concentrate on quicker acceleration out of the turn and is thereby motivated to achieve higher speeds crossing the wake. This is accomplished in the present invention by a skier controlled or active braking system which significantly increases the braking drag capability only as needed by the skier. Thus, the present invention is directed towards an active brake system for a water ski which allows the brake to be shifted between two positions sensitive to the body position and weight distribution of the skier on the ski. It therefore shifts a hydrofoil brake on the rear fin on the water ski.
In the prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,673, to Martin, Jr., an early water ski attachment is illustrated for stabilizing a water ski which has a vane having a brake placed at an angle such that the brake can be shifted by shifting the angle of the water ski. In the Estes U.S. Pat. No. 3,082,444, a water ski safety skag is shifted into and out of the water. In the Anderson U.S. Pat. No. 4,775,344, a method and apparatus for steering a water ski has a vane protruding beneath the water ski and a gear linkage mechanism which allows the rear foot to shift the angle of the vane for steering the water ski.